Advent

Open Doors, Open Hearts: Awaiting Christ

General Resources:

Nativity Nights Every Tuesday: 6PM Mass & 6:30-7:30PM adoration & confession
Prayer Plan for Waiting Well: Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz
Advent Waiting Spotify Playlist

1st Sunday of Advent - Hope (Nov 30)

Open the Door to Promise

As we enter this First Sunday of Advent, we are invited to welcome God’s promises and renew our trust in Him. After Mass, please join us at our Door of Hope (located at the back of the church) to write your prayer intentions and hopes for the Advent season. You’re welcome to share hopes for yourself, your family, our parish, and the world.

Then, continue to the school gym for our Advent Wreath-Making event! Create a wreath to take home as a reminder to be intentional and prayerful each Sunday of Advent. More details about how to register for the Advent Wreath event can be found below.

2nd Sunday of Advent - Peace (Dec 7)

Open the Door to Reconciliation

The Second Sunday of Advent invites us to heal our relationship with God and with others, so that we may experience greater peace in our lives.

Join us on Tuesday, December 9th, for a special Penance Service and an opportunity to receive the Anointing of the Sick for those experiencing physical, mental, or emotional suffering. The evening will begin with Mass at 6:00 PM, followed by Confession and Anointing from 6:30–7:30 PM. Spend this sacred hour in candlelight, surrounded by peaceful music, and allow your heart to rest in the quiet presence of Jesus. Remember, Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

3rd Sunday of Advent - Joy (Dec 14)

Open the Door to Celebration

The Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday, calls us to rejoice in the nearness of Christ! This day, we celebrate with joyful hearts as we draw closer to the coming of our Savior. We invite everyone to wear pink—the color of joy—and to take part in activities that lift your spirit and bring you happiness.

After Mass, join us for an extra special celebration filled with food, fellowship, and joy as we continue to prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming.

4th Sunday of Advent - Love (Dec 21)

Open the Door to Christ Himself

The Fourth Sunday of Advent invites us to welcome Christ into our lives through love and service. As Christmas quickly approaches, take time to reflect on how you can share God’s love in meaningful ways. Consider a service activity or act of kindness you can do with friends or family—something that brings hope and joy to others.

Open your heart to love in a new way—both from God and from those around you—as we prepare to celebrate the gift of Emmanuel, God with us.

Advent Wreath Making

As we begin the beautiful season of Advent, all are invited to join us for a special morning of fellowship and faith. Together, we will prepare our hearts and homes for the coming of Christ by creating Advent wreaths — a cherished symbol of hope, peace, joy, and love.

The circular wreath reminds us of God’s unending love, and each candle marks our journey toward the light of Christ at Christmas. This simple, hands-on activity offers a meaningful way to enter into the Advent season as a community. Come share in this joyful time of reflection and creativity — and take home a reminder of the true meaning of Advent. All are welcome!

Sunday, November 30th, 2025

Immediately following 10am Mass, in the school gym

We supply all the materials, and the entire experience lasts approximately one hour. The cost is $50.00 per wreath to cover materials and expenses. Please reserve your spot through Give Central (Advent Wreath Making) before Wednesday, November 26th, so we can prepare materials for you. Can’t make it to the event? You can still sign up to receive a kit and create your Advent wreath at home! You can also text WREATH to 312-625-5666 to register.

Looking to help? We are seeking junior high, high school, or adult volunteers to assist with supply prep, setup, and tear-down. If you would like to volunteer, please sign up here.

Why Do Catholics Have a Tradition of Making & Lighting an Advent Wreath?

The Advent wreath is part of our long-standing Catholic tradition. However, the actual origins are uncertain. There is evidence of pre-Christian Germanic peoples using wreaths with lit candles during the cold and dark December days, as a sign of hope in the future warm and extended-sunlight days of Spring.

By the middle Ages, the Christians adapted this tradition and used Advent wreaths as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas. After all, Christ is “the Light that came into the world” to dispel the darkness of sin and to radiate the truth and love of God (John 3:19-21). By 1600, both Catholics and Lutherans had more formal practices surrounding the Advent wreath.

The symbolism of the Advent wreath is beautiful. The wreath is made of various evergreens, signifying continuous life. The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life found in Christ.

The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. Three candles are purple and one is rose. The purple candles in symbolize the prayer, penance and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday of rejoicing. The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of his second coming to judge the living and the dead.

The light signifies Christ, the Light of the world. In family practice, the Advent wreath is most appropriately lit at dinner time after the blessing of the food. Since Advent is a time to stir up our faith in the Lord, the wreath and its prayers provide us a way to augment this special preparation for Christmas. This tradition helps us to remain vigilant in our homes and not lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas.

Nativity Nights

2025 Nativity Nights are:

Tuesday, December 2nd

Tuesday, December 9th (special penance & healing/anointing service)

Tuesday, December 16th

Tuesday, December 23rd

Come Away and Spend Quiet Time with Jesus This Advent Season

Each week of Advent, we invite you to join us for Nativity Nights—a time of prayer and reflection in the presence of our Lord.

The evening begins with 6:00 PM Mass, followed by Eucharistic Adoration from 6:30–7:30 PM.
Spend this sacred hour in candlelight, accompanied by peaceful music, allowing your heart to rest in the quiet presence of Jesus. Remember, Jesus is truly present to us in the Eucharist—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

On Tuesday, December 9th, we will have a special Penance Service and an opportunity to receive Anointing of the Sick for those experiencing physical, mental, or emotional suffering.

Bring yourself—and your heart—before Jesus this Advent season, and watch Him transform your life through His mercy, love, and silence.

What is Advent?